We recommend hiring an attorney on your side in
all cases. The skills of an experienced personal injury lawyer -- or at
least the threat to an insurance company that such a lawyer presents --
are worth the money you must pay that lawyer to represent you. You may
need a lawyer because of complex legal rules involved in your claim, or
the severity of your injuries might cause your compensation to vary
greatly from the norm, or simply because an insurance company refuses
to settle a matter in good faith. The following types of injuries,
accidents and situations almost certainly require a lawyer's help.
When an Insurance Company Refuses to Pay
In some instances, regardless of the nature of your injury or the
amount of your medical bills and lost income, you will want to hire a
lawyer because an insurance company or government agency simply refuses
to make any fair settlement offer at all. In these cases, something --
what the lawyer can get minus the fee charged to get it -- is better
than nothing.
Long-Term or Permanently Disabling Injuries
Some accidents result in injuries that significantly affect your
physical capabilities or appearance for a long time, perhaps even
permanently. Figuring out how much such a serious injury is worth can
be a difficult business. You will probably require some assistance from
an experienced lawyer to get the most out of your claim.
Severe Injuries
The amount of your accident compensation is mostly determined by how
severe your injuries were. And the severity of your injuries is
measured by the amount of your medical bills, your injury type and the
length of time it takes for you to recover. As the amount of your
potential compensation increases, it may be worth the expense to have a
lawyer handle your claim and make sure you receive compensation at the
highest end of the range.
Medical Malpractice
If you have suffered an injury or illness due to careless,
unprofessional or incompetent treatment at the hands of a medical
practitioner or institute, both the involved medical questions and the
legal rules are complex. They almost certainly require that you hire a
lawyer experienced in medical malpractice cases.
Toxic Exposure
In an increasingly chemical world, we sometimes become ill due to
the exposure of contaminants in the air, soil or water, in products or
in food. However, claims based on such exposure are difficult to prove
and often require complex scientific data. And because the chemical
industry and others have erected a huge wall to protect themselves from
legal exposure while they continue to expose us to potentially harmful
chemicals, the required evidence is very hard to come by. Get expert
help.